A Dark Past, A Bright Future
by MakorraLove97
Summary: Everyone has a past, but Hansel and Gretel's past made them stronger. When they are fighting an old witch, Gretel gets badly hurt and Hansel blames himself. As they wait for help, Gretel brings up the forbidden topic: their parents. How does the conversation go and will Gretel be okay? Even with their dark past, can they show each other that they could still have a bright future?


**Hi there everyone! So, this is my first fanfic on Hansel and Gretel so I really hope you like it! :)**

_**Please comment/review and let me know what you think of it, thanks!**_

**Enjoy!**

**I OWN NOTHING; I DO NOT OWN HANSEL AND GRETEL: WITCH HUNTERS.**

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"_A Dark Past, A Bright Future_"

**. . .**

"**Me and my sister, we have a past. When we were young, our family was murdered. We were almost killed by a witch. Now we hunt them for a living. That past made us stronger."**** –Hansel**

**. . .**

The sky is a dark, midnight black with foreboding, grey clouds. The roaring sound of thunder echoes through the night while the flash of lightning strikes chronically.

Hard, cold rain pours down from the thick, grey clouds. The torrential rain downpours against the gentle foliage and trees, almost bringing some down with it.

The ominous forest is engulfed by a dark gall.

"Hansel!" Gretel screams over the sound of the roaring thunder and pouring rain. She looks up at her brother who is walking a few feet ahead of her. She narrows her eyes so she could see through the thick fog and she shakes her head, "Hansel! We need to find some shelter."

"Ah, come on, we've dealt with worse than this." Hansel calls over his shoulder as he keeps his gun resting on his shoulder.

Gretel rolls her eyes and purses her lips, "Do you not see the kind of weather we're having? It's _brutal_! The lightning could strike at us at any moment."

Now it was Hansel's turn to roll his eyes, "Gretel, we are in the middle of the forest, where it is pitch black, at night, with huge trees surrounding us. There is no shelter!" He pauses for a moment as he takes a deep breath, "Listen, we'll be fine. We always are."

Gretel stays silent as she looks up at the sky as the rain slams against her skin. She chews on her bottom lip as her boots slam into the muddy ground. She looks around and shakes her head, "I don't think there are any more witches here in the forest."

"Hey, _you_ were the one who said to go check it out when that kid came running to us, telling us how they saw a witch in the forest." Hansel says as he glances over his shoulder.

He looks up at the swaying trees that tower over him. He scrunches his lips taut and purses them to the side in thought. He stops walking and waits until Gretel is standing next to him. He could see her raising an eyebrow and giving him a questioning look. "I think maybe you're right. The lightning is pretty bad; we should find somewhere to stay for the night."

Gretel raises an eyebrow at her brother, "Oh, now you want to listen to me?"

He glares at her, but she only smiles back at him. He shakes his head, smiling slightly, and looks back up at the night sky covered with thick rain clouds. "The trees are swaying back and forth pretty badly."

"Some storm all right." Gretel mumbles to herself.

A strong breeze of wind scraps against their skin as they walk through the fog and deeper into the forest. Between the dense fog and the pitch black, neither of them could see a thing.

The temperature is cold and crispy; the rain making the air feel thick.

"I hope Ben and Edward are happy they stayed back at the house." Hansel says with a small chuckle and a shake to the head.

Gretel grins and shrugs as she readjusts her double automatic crossbow on her shoulder, "I'm sure they are."

The two of them continue walking through the forest, listening to thunder, the hard rain hit the ground, and the crickets chirping along with the birds hidden in the trees.

After walking for a while, Hansel stops walking and looks around with a curious look on his face, "Okay, where the hell are these witches?"

"Hiding." A sharp, crackling voice says behind the two siblings.

Hansel and Gretel quickly spin around with their weapons ready. When they turn around, they see nothing. Nothing and no one is there standing behind them.

They both narrow their eyes as they scan the area, but they see no sign of witches.

"What the fuck-?" Hansel mutters to himself, confused.

"What's the matter? Come on, witch hunters, and let us see just how tough you two really are." The voice says behind Gretel, their lips almost touching her ear.

Gretel gasps and spins around, pointing her double automatic crossbow at the old, ugly witch standing behind her.

The witch has a long, pointy nose with a mole right on the tip of it.

Her hair is a light grey color and goes up to her chin. Her skin is pale and wrinkly and she is short and thin. She has long, slender fingers with a ring on each finger. Her eyes are a bloody red and she has long, thick eyelashes with long, pointy ears. She is wearing a short black dress with black boots that go up to her knees.

The witch is sitting on her broomstick and her laughter echoes throughout the forest.

Hansel instantly lifts up his gun and aims it at the witch. She tries flying in zigzag to avoid the hit, but Hansel keeps his eyes on the witch and then he shoots at the witch.

The first shot misses and hits the tree, but the next one he shoots hits the witch and knocks her onto the ground. Gretel aims her double automatic crossbow at the witch who is struggling to her feet and shoots it, making the arrow go right through the witch's leg.

"Ahhhh!" The witch screams as she falls to her knees and tries pulling the arrow out of her leg. Gretel smirks and then runs after the witch. Gretel lifts her hand up and lands a punch on the witch's cheek.

Hansel runs up next to her and kicks the witch right in the stomach. He then quickly bends down and grabs the witch by the upper arm and pulls her roughly to her feet. He looks at the witch and then goes to punch her, but the witch head-butts him, sending him stumbling to the ground.

Gretel narrows her eyes at the witch and when she sees the old witch go to make a run for it, she chases after her.

When Gretel is close enough, she launches herself at the witch and tackles her to the ground. Gretel flips over the witch and punches her, but the witch points the palm of her hand at Gretel and shoots a ball of lightning at her.

Gretel's eyes widen as she flies up in the air and lands roughly back on the ground on her side. She groans as she slowly sits up to see her brother fighting with the witch. The witch was dragging him upside down.

Gretel jumps to her feet and wipes the blood that is dripping down her mouth. She picks up her crossbow and aims it at the witch. She watches as Hansel struggles to break free from being dragged upside down and across the muddy forest floor. She bites on her bottom lip, concentrating on her aiming, making sure she has a good shot on the old witch. She glances down at her brother, watching him slam his fist against the rope the witch has tied around his foot. Gretel tears her eyes away from her brother and then she releases one of her arrows.

The arrow pierces through the sky and strikes the witch right in the arm, making her fall off her broomstick she was riding on and slam against the cold ground. Hansel slams against the wet ground as well, groaning as he lands on his side.

Gretel rushes over to her brother's side to check on him as he lies there on his side with the witch lying a few feet away from them. Gretel kneels down beside her brother, fully knowing he could take care of himself and he is fine, but still, she just wants to make sure he is okay. She also knows he hasn't take his injections lately, so, she's worried about that as well.

Good news is that his beeper on his watch hasn't gone off so it isn't time for him to take the injection yet, but she still wants to keep an eye on her older brother. He looks up at her and she slightly smiles down at him. He then turns his head in the direction where the witch is and his eyes widen. By the time Gretel looks up and over at the witch, the witch is already on her feet with her wand tightly in her hand.

Gretel quickly helps Hansel up and the two siblings jump to their feet, getting ready to dodge the witch's attack. However, as the witch lifts up her arm and is about to strike them, Gretel watches in the corner of her eye her brother go to protect her and push her out of the way, but instead he begins to feel dizzy. "Shit." He mutters as he clenches his head with his hands as the beeper on his watch goes off and he suddenly falls to the ground. Gretel's eyes widen and she knows he needs his injections . . . and now.

The witch, however, uses this distraction to her advantage and she lifts up her wand and strikes a nearby tree. The witch watches as the large tree breaks from its roots and begins to fall . . . right where Gretel is standing.

Hansel stabs the syringe in his thigh quickly and then he looks up only to see the one thing he wished he would never see. The one thing that hurts him the most: seeing his sister hurt.

Hansel watches as the large tree towers over Gretel and then as she walks backwards as she stares up at the large tree falling down in shock, she trips. She falls backwards and lands on her back and her eyes grow wider when the tree finally lands right on top of Gretel's legs. She lets out a piercing scream and Hansel feels like his entire world just crashed down on him.

"Gretel!" Hansel screams as his eyes grow wide when he sees the tree fall right on top of his sister. He looks up to see the witch flying away, but he ignores it and immediately rushes over to his sister.

He drops to her side and instantly cups her cheeks in his hands. He stares down at her face and watches as her eyes squeeze shut as she yelps in pain. He looks back to see the tree landed right on her legs right below her knees. He keeps one hand on her cheek and with his other hand, he grips her hand tightly. "It's going to be okay. It's going to be okay, Gretel, just hang in there."

"Ahh!" She cries as she tightens her grip on his hand, "Oh my God, it hurts, Hansel!" She could feel the warm blood drip down the side of her face and she could feel blood drip down her busted lip. She cannot feel her legs; the only thing she could feel is pain. She knows she definitely felt and heard a crack; her legs are surely broken.

"Gretel, come on, stay with me." Hansel tells her as he begins to try to push the tree of her. He tries lifting it up, pushing it; everything, but it won't even budge. "Fuck, come on!" She could see his face turning red and his veins popping out as he uses all his strength to try to lift the fallen tree. Her brother is strong, she knows that, but this tree is too strong for any human to lift or roll.

After many attempts of trying to move it, he finally falls to his knees beside Gretel. He looks over at her and watches as she keeps her eyes close and she bites on her lower lip. He knows when she bites down hard on her lip that she is trying to hold back a scream of pain. He cannot help, but feel useless. He can't even help his sister, who desperately needs him.

He feels his blood boiling inside of him and he quickly shakes his head, standing up, "I'm going to get help. I'm going to make sure you're alright, okay? I'll be right back-"

"No!" She quickly cuts him off, her eyes wide as she stares up at him, pleading. "Please . . . don't leave me." She never shows weakness; she isn't weak. However, right now, in the middle of the forest, with pouring rain, thunder, lightning, cold weather, _alone_, she doesn't want to be left alone. Not again.

He stares down at her, watching as her blood mixes with the rain and pools around her. He swallows hard and shakes his head, "I have to go get you help, Gretel. I can't lift this tree and-"

"Please?" She begs. He could see the tears in her eyes, "I don't want to be left alone." She tries to prop upper part of herself up, but she winces when a shot of pain runs through her body. She takes a deep, shaky breath, "Just stay. At least until the rain stops."

"I don't know how long you'll be able to last," He begins, but then sighs, "but I'll stay with you." He could see a small, soft smile creep onto her lips as he sits down beside her. He lays her head on his legs and he strokes her hair, sighing.

Silence fills the air; the only noise you could hear is the sound of the pouring rain and the roaring thunder.

Finally, after a while of sitting there in silence, Hansel looks at the sky and mumbles quietly to his sister, "I'm sorry."

She raises an eyebrow at him and gives him a questioning look, "For?"

"I should have protected you." He begins as he continues to not make eye contact with her. "The tree would have never landed on you if I would have pushed you out of the way in time. If I didn't need to take my injections, then I would have been able to protect you. Now, you have a fucking _tree_ on top of you!"

She narrows her eyes at him and she quickly shakes her head, "Hansel, that is _not_ true!"

"Yes it is! I just had to feel dizzy when you needed me the most. I am supposed to protect you! I promised our Father I would and I didn't! I promised you I would always protect you and now do you not see the situation?" Hansel practically yells, throwing his hands in the air and running his fingers through his hair.

"Hey! You know better than anyone I could take care of myself." She yells right back at him and then winces at the amount of pain she's feeling.

"I know . . ." He says quietly, but he shakes his head, "But that doesn't mean I don't feel guilty that I couldn't protect you. You're my sister and I'm your brother; I'm supposed to always protect you."

She smiles up at him and she lets out a deep breath, "Hansel?" He looks down at her, finally making eye contact and she suddenly becomes . . . nervous. "Now that Muriel told us the truth about our parents . . . I was just thinking-"

"Gretel," Hansel cuts her off with a groan, "did we not agree that we would keep away from that topic? We're done talking about them."

"Yeah, but now we know the truth-" She begins, but he quickly stops her, "Gretel, no. We're not talking about this! We know the truth and everything that happened and that's enough."

"Can you just listen to me?" She huffs, glaring at him and then adds with a softer expression on her face, "Please?"

He lets out a frustrated sigh before finally nodding and keeping Gretel's body close to him. He feels her shiver from the cold rain so he instantly takes off his leather jacket and places it over her. She tries to protest, but with one glare from her brother and she smiles at him, thanking him silently.

"Do you think Mother and Father would be proud of us? With what we do?" She asks in a quiet voice. He barely heard what she said between the loud rain and thunder, but he did hear her.

Hansel stares down at her with a blank expression before his eyebrows knit together as a look of confusion appears on his face, "I . . . I don't know. I think so."

She sighs and shrugs her shoulders slightly, "It's just, I know you're over the whole thing. You accepted it and moved on, but I just can't. Hansel, I just keep having these images in my head of Father being hung and Mother being . . . burned alive." She pauses as he continues to stare at her, she then adds, "Our parents risked their lives to protect us- to protect me! They wanted us safe and Father left us in the woods fully knowing he was going to go back to the house and die! Hansel, it's just, I dream of them every night and I know we agreed to stay off this topic, but I can't get it out of my head."

Hansel clenches his jaw and looks down at the muddy ground. His sister's hand is still in his hand, but she isn't holding it tightly anymore. He stares at their joint hands, both of their gloves are ripped and destroyed and mud and blood is painted onto their skin. He mentally curses at the witch for all of this damage she caused.

"Gretel," He finally begins with a shaky voice, "I'm sorry." She shakes her head and is about to snap at him for apologizing, but he stops her, "I'm sorry that I kept ignoring this . . . subject. I just- I just didn't want to talk about it. I say I'm over it, but I think about it sometimes too. It's just, I hate talking about it. It, I don't know, hurts? I do think they'd be proud of us. You grew up to be this beautiful women who can kick ass and could handle herself."

She smiles widely at him, a weak smile, but a smile no less. She tightens her grip on his hand and she looks up at him and then adds with a grin, "And you grew up to be this amazing, strong, confident, independent, and not _too_ bad looking-" He eyes her, but she chuckles and continues, "guy and who can kick ass better than anyone too."

He laughs and shakes his head. He looks down at her and watches as she stares at their joint hands. He takes a long, deep breath before quietly saying, "I miss them too, Gretel. But I know they're watching us and they'd be proud, okay?"

Gretel smiles and nods her head, not saying word, but by saying nothing, it says a lot between the two. They know how to communicate without even speaking; they share a strong, close connection that no one could break.

Hansel looks back up at the sky and notices the rain had stopped. He shakes his head and mutters under his breath, "It's about fucking time." He begins to stand up, but Gretel stops him, "Y-You're leaving?"

"I need to get you some help, Gretel. I don't know if you remember, but you do have a tree on top of you." Hansel says with a roll to the eyes and a small grin on his face.

Gretel could see the look of worry and concern on her brother's face and she knows herself that she needs to let him go to get help. Her entire body hurts and she can't even feel her legs anymore. She could feel the blood covering her entire body and she knows it must hurt him to see her like this. She takes a deep breath and nods her head slowly, finally letting go of his hand and clenches onto his jacket he put over her. She could feel herself becoming dizzy and losing consciousness and she knows she lost a lot of blood.

Hansel watches her and he begins to panic. Gretel weakly looks up at him and says quietly, but a small grin on her face, "Hey, you'll h-hurry back, right?"

"Of course." He says with a smirk, "Stay here."

"Not like I have the choice to go anywhere else." She says with a small chuckle and then she winces, "Ah . . . it really hurts."

He nods his head sharply and looks at his sister one last time before turning around. He only has to take one step before he bumps into the giant troll, Edward, and Ben. Hansel rolls his eyes and throws his hands in the air, "What the fuck took you so long?"

Ben smirks and shrugs his shoulders at the witch hunter, "Hey, you were the one who told us to stay put at the house."

Hansel eyes him and says nothing. Ben looks ahead and gasps when he sees Gretel lying there in a pool of a mix of blood and mud. "Oh my! What happened to her?!"

"A witch knocked down a tree and it fell on her." Hansel quickly informs them and then he suddenly realizes something. His dark, chocolate brown eyes stare at the large troll and they widen. "Edward . . ." Hansel mumbles as he realizes just how big and strong Edward is.

Edward stares at him and Hansel quickly says, "Edward, can you lift the tree off of Gretel?"

The large troll nods his head and begins stomping over to where Gretel is. Her eyes are half closed and she is seeping in and out of consciousness. Edward grabs the large tree with both hands and with one powerful roar, the troll lifts up the tree and throws it to the side.

Hansel instantly rushes to his sister's side and wraps her in his strong arms. He picks her up gently and holds her tightly against his chest as he holds her in a bridal style. She weakly looks up at him with tired eyes, but she manages a smile, "Thank y-you."

He only smiles back down at her and plants a soft kiss to her forehead, whispering, "It's what I'm here for."

She chuckles and rolls her eyes before she slips back into unconsciousness. He takes a deep breath and nods towards Ben and Edward, "Come on, let's go."

"Will she be all right?" Ben asks, concerned and scared for his friend.

Hansel looks down at her and despite all the bruises, scratches, and blood on her, he knows she will be just fine. Their parents were strong and so are they. They had a rough past, but that only made them stronger. Everyone has a past, but Hansel and Gretel's past changed them and made them stronger. They can get through anything, no matter what the circumstances are. They had each other and that's all they need, but having a few friends doesn't hurt either.

They had a dark past, but they will have a bright future.

Hansel smiles down at his sister and then he turns to Ben and gives him a sharp nod, "Yeah, she'll be okay. She'll be just fine."

Ben looks up at Edward and smiles widely at the news. Edward and Ben then continue to follow behind Hansel, who already started heading back to the village.

As Hansel walks through the forest, he keeps his eyes locked on his sister as he watches her sleep in his arms. He smiles down at her and nods his head, knowing how strong she is and how he admires that. He lets out a sigh and continues to walk, having an image in his head of their _family_: the six of them: Edward, Ben, Hansel, Gretel, and their parents, all walking the long, treacherous path of life facing obstacles together, one at a time.

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**Okay everyone, that is it for this :) I don't know, I might continue this, I might not, I'm thinking about it though, haha :) But, anyways, what did you think of it? I hope you liked it!**

_**Please comment/review and let me know what you thought of it, thank you!**_

**Thanks for reading! ^_^**


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